Ahadi/Main article
Ahadi is the king of the Pride Lands in A Tale of Two Brothers. He is the father of Mufasa and Taka, as well as the mate of Uru. Appearance Even for an adult lion, Ahadi is considerably large. His body, both sturdy and strong, sports broad shoulders, rounded muscles, and an expansive chest which extends outward with the added length of his mane. As far as coloring goes, Ahadi is noticeably darker than his fellow pride members. His main pelt, though lighter in undertones, is distinctly dark, being a dirty gold, almost brown, as opposed to the paler hues of his pride mates. His mane, however, is lush and red, expanding down his chest and nearly reaching his middle underbelly. While his chest, muzzle, and paws are all sandy in color, his eyeshades are darker than his main pelt and his eyes are brownish-red. Interestingly, Ahadi is almost a perfect mixture of his two sons, Mufasa and Taka. Sharing both his build and his lighter hues with Ahadi, the elder inherited his father's golden fur, as well as his uncolored paws and reddish-brown eyes. Taka, on the other hand, shares his father's dark eyeshades, as well as the darker undertones of his pelt. Both sons mirror their father in facial structure, though this comes through more noticeably in Mufasa. It should be noted that the text of A Tale of Two Brothers conflicts with the appearance described above, as the author depicts Ahadi as having a black mane and green eyes, as opposed to a red mane and reddish-brown eyes. Personality Above all, Ahadi is a good leader. Complete with the determination, patience, and wisdom that makes up a sound ruler, he is not only respected by his family and friends, but also by his subjects and even those around him, some who have only known him for a choice number of days. Though he appears to be calm and in control, the king is more often than not bogged down by the duties required of him. However, he always follows through to the best of his ability, using his good judgment to sort out any situation that comes his way. In addition, Ahadi is considerably brave and strong, being known throughout the land for his great dignity and power. Many opportunities arise throughout the king's reign for him to abuse this power, but, being a virtuous ruler, he refuses to do so, only exerting it for the benefit of his kingdom and his subjects. This practiced ease of control is a convenient means of maintaining order, considering he is an intimidating presence with an air of confidence about him, and often sorts out situations for him. Such a determined spirit to do good for his kingdom helps as well, even if these decisions mean the discontent of some of his subjects. However, unlike his eldest son, Mufasa, who exhibits great force in his rule, Ahadi is known for being somewhat soft when it comes to the will of his subjects. Often taking the blame for problems, he frequently submits to the complaints of the Pridelanders, doing all in his power to make them happy again. Though this ultimately labels him compassionate and sympathetic, it also shows that he has a certain degree of weakness when it comes to pleasing others, as he feels it's completely his duty to see that everyone is content. Such innocence of heart also comes into play in the king's relationships with his sons. In the same way he cowers, per se, to his subjects, Ahadi also somewhat cowers to his youngest son, Taka, by apologizing and taking the blame when he could, instead, reprimand the young lion for his selfish ways. Such behavior is most likely due to the fact that he cares deeply for his son and desires a trusting relationship with him, though Taka often makes the task difficult, as he pins Ahadi with the supposed favoritism the king shows his elder son, Mufasa. Ahadi, however upset by these accusations, never fails to acknowledge Taka's fantasies for what they are and even goes so far as to respect them, though he never submits to them, taking his duty as king beyond the need to satisfy his son. Ahadi's relationship with Mufasa is on much better terms, mostly due to the fact that the two seem to understand each other without speaking it plainly. Both lions have a sense of responsibility, as well as a need to do what's right, rendering them both natural leaders and dignified individuals. Because of this, Mufasa accepts his father's decisions for what they are and Ahadi, in turn, feels gratitude toward his son for such understanding. The king also seems to trust Mufasa more than Taka, not only because of their tight bond, but also because his elder son shows stronger character than Taka, an important quality in a king. Though Ahadi loves both his children dearly, he also understands that ruling a kingdom is a great responsibility and should, therefore, be taken seriously. Overruling his hesitance to disappoint, Ahadi ultimately recognizes this crucial, and somewhat disheartening, fact of being a leader. At the expense of his youngest son, Ahadi values the future of his kingdom, knowing full well that Mufasa will make a much better leader than Taka. Information Backstory Ahadi is the third known king of the Pride Lands and the second to be formally named. His succession right is unknown, though it's possible that he was either the son or son-in-law of Mohatu. The Lion King When Mufasa is teaching Simba about the great kings of the past, he mentions his father, who once told him the same superstition. It is unknown who relayed the stories to Ahadi himself. The Lion King: Six New Adventures A Tale of Two Brothers Towards the beginning of the story, a traveling mandrill named Rafiki wanders into the Pride Lands in search of lore and wisdom. Upon entering the kingdom, however, he is attacked by three hyenas and cornered at Five Stones. It is at this time that Ahadi, the Lion King, decides to intervene, alongside his two sons, Mufasa and Taka. After questioning the hyenas on their intentions, he chides them for disrespecting the rules of the kingdom and then orders them away without further hesitation. After the departure of the hyenas, Rafiki is introduced to Ahadi by Mufasa. The two have a brief conversation, in which Ahadi learns that Rafiki is gaining much knowledge in the area of healing plants and their properties. Intrigued by the mandrill's knowledge, Ahadi invites Rafiki to come to Pride Rock and share some of his wisdom with the kingdom, as help is desperately needed. The two end up talking for hours and, when night finally falls, Ahadi offers Rafiki a place to stay for the night. The following morning, a crowd of angry Pridelanders come before Ahadi, demanding to know how he will fix the various problems facing the Pride Lands. At first, the king doesn't get a word in edgewise, but when Zuzu, a flirtatious hornbill, supports an ostrich in her claim that the hyenas are causing trouble about the lands, Ahadi manages a promise to fix the problem. Before he can set about doing this, however, Taka interjects, reminding his father that he had promised to take his sons hunting that morning. Regretfully, Ahadi is forced to postpone the trip, a change of events which does not settle well with Taka. When the young lion expresses great frustration over his father's kingly duties, Ahadi is forced to remind Taka that ruling a kingdom requires great responsibility, something which Mufasa seems to understand. At this, Taka angers greatly and proceeds to accuse Ahadi of showing favoritism toward his eldest son, which sparks defensive comments from Mufasa. Before the argument can escalate any further, the other Pridelanders demand the lions stop arguing about the throne and, instead, focus on the problems at hand. To satisfy their demands, Ahadi agrees to set about taming the hyenas. However, he promises nothing regarding the drought, as there is nothing he can do until the return of his mate, Uru, who is out searching for a new water supply. As he turns to leave, Ahadi attempts an apology to his son about the misfortune, but Taka refuses to forgive his father for breaking his promise. The king then turns to Rafiki and comments that it would be much easier to learn about the little problems before they became big ones. He then sets off across the savanna. As he walks away, Zuzu flutters up to Rafiki and comments on his bravery, praising him for being so strong in such a situation. Some time later, Mufasa and Taka are attacked by cape buffalo, and Ahadi, having been notified by Zuzu, rushes to their aid at the head of a herd of elephants. After surrounding the buffalo with his band of loyal followers, the king demands an explanation from the cowering creatures. The buffalo are quick to blame Mufasa and Taka, but their accusations are soon interrupted by Mufasa himself, who warns his father that Taka is hurt. Though Rafiki promises to tend to the young lion, Ahadi still threatens the buffalo that it had better not be a serious injury. Under the careful direction of Rafiki, the party moves Taka to Pride Rock, so he can be properly treated with herbs. After being patched up by Rafiki, Taka is informed that he will heal, though his scar will remain. Ahadi then adds that it will serve as a reminder for his recklessness. When Taka admits to his misgivings about Mufasa and his father's broken promise, Ahadi gently reprimands his son and expresses his hopes that the newly-birthed scar will serve as a reminder throughout Taka's life. After leaving Taka to think things through himself, Ahadi, Mufasa, and Rafiki converse with Zuzu, who had been hovering about throughout the ordeal. Together, the four discuss the problems of the kingdom, finally coming to the conclusion that Ahadi needs a majordomo to assist him in the matters of the kingdom. Right away, Ahadi offers the position to Zuzu, who proudly accepts. The king then asks Rafiki to be his adviser. Though the mandrill is at first hesitant, he eventually concedes, so long as he can go on quests from time to time. As the decisions are brought to a close, Ahadi proclaims to the others that he can feel a great era beginning for all of the Pride Lands. Follow the Leader At a point in the story in which Simba is offering to help Rafiki, he reminds the old mandrill that his family has been watched over by Rafiki since the reign of Ahadi. How True, Zazu? While debating the seriousness of the army ant situation, Mufasa mentions that Ahadi had once told him a story about an army ant attack, in which the fearsome creatures killed zebras in Muwa's herd. Family Members * Mate: Uru * Sons: Mufasa and Taka * Grandson: Simba * Great-grandson: Kopa * Great-granddaughter: Kiara Tree Quotes References : Category:Animals Category:Book Characters Category:Characters Category:Deceased Characters Category:Kings of Pride Rock Category:Leaders Category:Lions Category:Male Characters Category:Non-Movie Characters Category:Pridelanders Category:Protagonists Category:Semi-Canon Characters